With These Improvised Weapons, It's Incredible The Syrian Rebels Have Lasted So Long [PHOTOS]

REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi The Syrian civil war has been going on for more than two years, but it hasn't been a fair fight.

While the Assad regime has tanks, jets, artillery — and of course, chemical weapons — the fragmented Free Syrian Army have mostly small arms and whatever they can put together or find.

We're talking slingshots, catapults, and rockets made in garages.

Both sides have backing: The Russians and Iranians give Assad cash and weapons, while the rebels get mainly humanitarian aid from the U.S., Saudi Arabia, and Qatar. That humanitarian support (turning increasingly into lethal support) may turn into full blown weapons and training if Senate hawks like John McCain and Lindsey Graham have their way.

Aid or not, when you see these pictures, you'll be pretty impressed they've been able to fight the Syrian army, and continue to hold ground throughout the country.

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The FSA often has to improvise, like using a shotgun to launch an improvised grenade.

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Or launching homemade bombs with a catapult.

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Here's another one in Aleppo.

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When they're not fighting, they are building.

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These two are putting together homemade rockets.

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Which will launch from this mount. All made in a weapons factory that probably used to be someone's kitchen.

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It takes some skill to prepare a launcher to fire ...

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But as you can see, with simple tubing, and concrete blocks holding it in place, it's not much.

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Their rockets may give a big boom, but they are extremely inaccurate and unreliable.

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They aren't just going to the local gun shop to stock up on ammo either. They have to put together their mortar rounds themselves.

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While not as good as artillery, mortars can lob in bombs at Assad forces and cause considerable damage against troops.

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Since they need to stay away from Syrian aircraft overhead, they need to keep the weapons mobile.

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We aren't sure what this is, but it looks like a makeshift machine-gun or anti-aircraft weapon. A U.S. military source told BI it could be an anti-tank rifle.

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And then of course, there's bombs or grenades that can just be thrown.

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Like these ornaments, which this FSA fighter fashioned into improvised grenades.

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Since it's largely a 'Youtube war,' it's no surprise this fighter is filming what he sees from his sniper rifle.

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Still, the fighters are learning to make bigger and better weapons.

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They've got some cars acting as mobile rocket launchers ...

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... And homemade armored vehicles like this ...

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... And this. It may do well against troops ...

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But the light armor doesn't stand a chance against a traditional tank.